I thought it was time I would test the waters with HP and see where they stood with the whole idea of preinstalled linux on thier desktops or workable solutions so I initiated a series of emails with thier customer support team. Here they are

"Dear David,

Thank you for contacting the HP Home & Home Office Sales Center.

I understand your concern regarding the operating system for the computers. However, I would like to inform you that all the new HP computers have Windows vista as operating system. I apologize for the inconvenience caused to you and would like to inform you that we at HP would not like to loose a valued customer like you.

Thank you for your interest in the HP Home and Home Office Store, we value your business and support. Our goal is to continue bringing you quality products and solutions.

Best regards,

Paula

Email/Chat Representative

HP Home & Home Office Sales Center.

*Prices, promotions and availability are subject to change. Orders may be subject to applicable sales tax, shipping and handling charges

--- Original Message ---

Name: david mckisick
Phone Number:
Order Number:
Feedback: To be honest, ive a long history with HP/Compaq and have bought all my home computers from you guys over the last 10 or so years, most recently the m7580n. I have always been satisfied with HP Computers, but it sincerely disturbs me that you only offer computers with Vista or XP preinstalled. I exclusively use Linux and its all I will ever use for my home desktop and laptop. I WILL buy Dell from now on if they offer Linux preinstalled. I would sincerely prefer to buy HP, but I will never again buy anything with a Microsoft logo attached and its just so very unfortunate that a first rate Computer company like HP (which is a partner supporting Linux in the Free Software Foundation and offers Linux solution for servers) would cripple itself with such an anti-competitive business arrangement with Microsoft. Sorry, but Linux offers a better computing experience with more freedom of choice. I would suggest that since Dell is already going to offer preinstalled Linux on !
thier Desktop solutions, that HP follow suit or even beat them to it.

My reply.........

"So is there any particular reason HP will not offer preinstalled Linux or at least offer post-install Linux clauses on thier computers? Or are you basicly just telling me to F*** off with "I would like to inform you that all the new HP computers have Windows vista as operating system." I know HP only offers Vista right now which is why I sent the first email. Im looking for YOU to work with the customer = ME, to create a workable solution so we can continue to do business with each other. Instead I get a smart a** reply like the above. Thanks for nothing! Dell now has a new customer thanks to you.

a word of advice. I understand your frustration. I feel the same way too. But sending emails laced with profanity is no way to entice businesses to comply with your requests. It just makes it easier to see us Linux users as a bunch of unwashed troglodytes who will be dissatisfied with anything businesses do; all the easier to right us off and ignore our complaints. I am completely up for constructive insurrection, but emails like these send the wrong message.

That reply is pretty standard stuff. The email is exactly as I sent it with the profanity blocked off like it is, so I didnt exactly send it laced with the stuff, but the impression of it. I think it was a suitable reply to thier uncaring, half-assed response. In all honesty I could care less if HP pre-ships linux with thier stuff because I had decided to boycott them anyway now and forevermore due to thier love affair with thier master Microsoft... Same thing for Dell. Those companies made their deal with the devil long ago and now they both must live with whatever thier master throws at them. Switching to linux at this point (assuming thier master allows them to), only makes them appear to be more unscrupulous than before. They will be completely unprepared for the time when Microsoft does really start to hurt their business as more and more folks turn to a better alternative OS. We all know the truth of things... Linux IS truly surpassing the functionality of M$ on the desktop more and more with each passing day as was inevitable with open source projects, and the only thing stemming the tide now is M$'s efforts to squash any attempt by Hardware vendors to go open source while at the same time killing any new legislation that has anything about Open Source in it unless its in thier favor. Call me crazy, but I truly believe the day will come when Open Source will be the norm, and Linux will replace M$ as the dominant desktop OS, sooner rather than later. IMO, HP deserves whatever scraps are left on the table when that day comes. I have nothing but contempt for them now.

Quote from your first email "(which is a partner supporting Linux in the Free Software Foundation and offers Linux solution for servers) "

Perhaps you're being a little harsh. Believe it or not, businesses just can't do whatever they want, as they are always tied to whether they are making a profit or not. HP does help out linux, as you yourself stated. Just because HP isn't strong enough to break the grasp that Microsoft has on it doesn't mean you should sever all ties and loathe HP. If anything, be more mad at Microsoft for the leverage it has on HP. (And don't be so naive as to believe that Microsoft doesn't cut HP a huge deal by having HP sell Windows exclusively.)

I thought it was time I would test the waters with HP and see where they stood with the whole idea of preinstalled linux on thier desktops or workable solutions so I initiated a series of emails with thier customer support team. Here they are

I agree with almost all that has been said, but do anyone really want a pre-installed OS - wouldn't it solve a lot of head-ache for everyone involved if they would just sell a machine at our request?

OMFG!! LOL!!! That is the funniest piece of s*** I've read in a looong time!!! U go Dave! I'm a proud HP user as well and also thought of buying a dell ( just because of pre-installed linux). I don't even really care for dell, but they've been getting better and now they want to support linux so they have my vote. I tried something similar with belkin. They do not support linux (even though the MF wireless routers they sell run linux on the GD chip!!! Luckily the support guy I got runs slackware and he was glad to give me some ideas .

any having luck with getting reimburssed for vista? i would imagine it being a large amount of money, maybe $200. i could probably find a vista loaded system for 300 and after a reimbusment come with a nicely priced system. only bad thing is i htink you need to send it to them which costs money/time.

<:~-- That random guy from nowhere has made another statement and vanished --~:>